This Slide of Reality
by Jenza Quinn
Summary: What if the Sliders came to this world, part 6 is up! The two worlds finally meet! Hazzah! R&R please, pretty please!!!!!
1. The Arrival

Disclaimer legal stuff: Sliders (the people and TV show) is owned by I think the sci-fi channel (we love the for canceling it), universal studios is not mine either and owned by (shocker) universal studios. As far as I know the other characters are mine aside from the real life actors of Sliders (love ya Jerry) This is just for fun so please don't sue me. Enjoy the story

This Slide of Reality

Part one

****

The trees shook and trembled. Leaves whipped about in miniature tornadoes. The air crackled, rippled into circular waves, and, then, ripped. A burst of bright white light briefly flashed from the tear and a shimmering tunnel opened three feet above the ground. Blue, white, and lilac waves cascaded out of the hole in every direction. The brilliant colors dissipated into the warm air shortly after they escaped the opening.

The portal flashed and a black man flew out. He landed hard on the ground. He got up, groaned, and dusted off his khakis and satin shirt. He looked up just in time to catch the girl falling out of the vortex. She ran her hand through her red hair and smiled shyly at her companion. A whoosh sounded from the wormhole and the two split as another woman was hurled between them. She glared at the redhead as she rose from the ground and adjusted her short skirt. She stalked off to examine their surroundings. The other two joined together again as a handsome young man somersaulted out of the vortex. He sat on the ground awhile and let out an exasperated sigh. As he examined a small device resembling a cell phone, the portal slowly grew smaller until it was only a pinpoint of light. Then it vanished with no evidence of its existence except the four disheveled travelers. The woman, pulling at her brown hair, stalked back to the group and stood over the young man.

"Where's Rickman?" she demanded.

"Come and gone already according to the timer."

"Damn it!" She stormed off through the trees to look around.

The others dusted off their clothing. "So, how much time do we have on this one?" asked the redheaded girl.

As he rose to his feet, the handsome man glanced at the red numbers counting down on the mechanism in his hand. 

"About two days," he replied. "Now let's find some where to eat. I'm starved."

"Amen to that, Q-ball," the black man said. "After almost becoming dino-chow, I'd like a nice relaxed meal. Like that one when I played in Rome. That was one of the best meals I've ever had. Damn expensive, though."

"Well, you guys can treat us to a nice dinner since we saved your butts," bragged the brunette as they caught up to her.

"It took you long enough to shoot the tank. We almost weren't saved," argued the young man.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault that your sling shot thingy didn't work. And anyway. You both being big strong men and all, you couldn't expect us little women to throw that big, bad canister into that awful dinosaur's mouth."

She smirked at the guys and batted her eyelashes mockingly. Then, she and the other girl broke down into laughter. The men gave each other an exasperated look.

"Nothing like guns and target shooting for female bonding, eh, Q-ball," joked the black man. "Sure beats beer and football." It was sometimes a pain for the women to team up, but it was better than when they were at each other's throats.

They walked through the thick foliage, gossiping. The young man led the way and slowly moved towards what he thought was the edge of the woods.

"Hey! I think I see something!"

He broke out of the forest. A giant Tyrannosaurus Rex loomed over him, its jaws gaping open for the kill. One by one the other three members of his team emerged from the jungle to stare at the monster. The brown haired woman sighed. "Ah, hell. Not again."

They stood, stunned, in front of the attacking T-rex. _Why do so many worlds have to have dinosaurs_, the young man wondered. He waited for it to roar or do something. There was no way that they could get away from this thing at such a close distance. But it was not moving. He walked up to the hideous beast and touched it. The skin did not feel right. It was hard and solid. The monster felt more like a model than skin on muscle. He knocked on the T-rex's leg. The sound of his fist hitting plastic vibrated through the monster's hallow framework. The black man opened his mouth to state the obvious.

"Hey! Get out of the freakin' way! You're ruinin' the picture!"

The four astonished travelers turned to face a line of irritated people and an equally angry photographer. The young man smirked. _Always expect the unordinary_. 

"Unless you guys have money to shovel out, get away from the Rex, so the line can move sometime this century."

The gang moved away from the dinosaur statue and watched as family after family posed in front of the roaring Rex and a jeep with the words "Jurassic Park" stenciled on the side. They collectively sighed and moved away from the bustling crowd. 

"I'd like to see that photographer meet a real T-rex," muttered the brunette. The two men grinned at the comment. The foursome walked through the crowded street and took in the sights. They passed long lines winding this way and that in front of huge buildings. The young man had been here before.

"I think we landed in Universal Studios," the young man stated. "My dad took me here once when I was really young. I don't remember any dinosaurs, though."

"Well, if we _are_ in Universal Studios, we should enjoy it," commented the redhead. "I mean, it's not everyday that you get into a theme park free."

"You said it, girl," voiced the black man. "Now, after we eat, let's go on some rides. Or should we do that before we eat."

"Depends," the brunette said slyly. "How well can your stomach handle those sudden drops. Going round and round, swaying this way and that way. Turning sharply at breakneck speeds and then…"

"Hold on there, girl. You're makin' me sick just talkin' about it."

"Ah, come on. After sliding on a full stomach you should be able to handle anything."

The group laughed in unison. It felt good to relax for once. They continued to search for a restaurant as they gazed at the multitude of rides. The young man recognized many of the rides, but several more were new. _Nothing like interdimensional travel to throw you out of the movie loop_. As much as he wanted to have fun at the park, he really wished he could get to the library and see if they were home. If the park was mostly the same as the one he remembered, their journey could be done. That would be the best kind of relaxation. After awhile he noticed that passing people were staring at them. 

"Um, is it just me or are we gettin a lot of attention here," commented the black man nervously.

"They're just probably fans of the Cryin' Man and seeing him in person…" 

"Oh My God!" they heard someone exclaim behind them. They turned and saw a brown haired teenage girl, her mouth wide open.

"Great. What did we do this time?" sighed the red head.

"It's you! I mean, I thought it was you guys, but, wow, I didn't think it was possible," she babbled. She leaned down and quickly picked up the book she had dropped.

"I mean, I always wanted to meet you. Whenever I went to New York, I always looked around for you, since you live there and everything, but I never imagined that I'd meet you here. Can I have your autographs?" She thrust the book at the four stunned travelers.

"Sure," the young man said hesitantly. If it wasn't a dinosaur world, it was one where they were famous. What could it be this time, musicians, actors, or maybe another Academic Decathlon world.

"I can't believe this is actually happening! My friends are never going to believe me. Maybe I can get a picture later or something, but, like, wow! I'm actually standing with Jerry O' Connell, Cleavant Derricks, Sabrina Lloyd, and Kari Wuhrer! It's so amazing."

The young man looked up suddenly from his writing. Boy, this girl is more mixed up than she seems. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong people. My name is…"

"Oh, duh! Sorry, I forgot that we're in the park. Then it's Quinn Mallory, Rembrandt Brown, Wade Wells, and Maggie Beckett. Although, now that I think about it, you're probably not the real actors, but you're really good look-a-likes. I could've sworn you were the real thing."

"Whoa, hold on a second! How do you know our names?" Maggie, the brunette, interrogated. 

"You're the Sliders. It's only the best sci-fi show ever. I watch every show and tape it, too. It's like my all-time favorite program."

Maggie turned away from the group as the girl ranted on. Maggie rubbed her temples as she walked away. Quinn, the young man, knew she could never get use to all these wackos on every world. He also understood that her act of looking around the park for a ride to go on once they ditched the loon was just her way of not going over the edge and pounding this girl's head into the pavement. However, he could stand to humor the crazy girl and find out more about this world. Anyway, she was kind of cute and he could us a little hero worship.

"Hey. Guys! You have to see this!" Quinn suddenly heard Maggie yell back. 

Quinn, Rembrandt, and Wade came running to Maggie's side. They all gapped at the banner, which bore their faces and the words "_Sliders, New season starting on the Sci-Fi Channel_", hanging on one of the buildings. _So the girl wasn't crazy and was telling the truth about a show. This was a first though, doubles that were actors. Always the extraordinary._

"I can't believe it," Wade, the redhead, gasped.

"I know, isn't it wonderful," the girl said as she joined the group. "I thought Fox was going to cancel it for sure and all, but the Sci-Fi Channel picked it up! Cool! You even have the timer with you." She grabbed the timer out of the pocket of Quinn's leather jacket. 

"Hey! Give that back!" Quinn yelled. _We definitely need that timer now that we know that this isn't our world._

"It's even counting down. And this is the button that opens the portal."

"Don't touch that!" Quinn yanked the timer away from her and placed it in his inside pocket. _That was too close._

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Maggie screamed. "You could have opened the vortex and we would have lost Rickman!"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to see it up close. I mean I always see it on TV and…. wait a minute, did you say Rickman?"

"Come on, guys. I'm tired. Let's go find a hotel," Wade murmured. 

"Yah, maybe there's a Chandler here," suggested Rembrandt. The Sliders walked slowly off towards the exit gates.

"Wait!" yelled the girl. She ran after them. "You're. You're. You were talking about Rickman and the Chandler and sliding. You're the REAL Sliders?"

"Well, of course, we're real," Wade replied.

"No. I mean. You're from a parallel universe. That's why you came out of the woods in the Jurassic Park display. You slid in there. It's all true. The theories are correct. You guys prove it all! The Einstein-Rosen-Podolsky bridge." 

__

Wow, that show was pretty in depth, thought Quinn. _When will she start spouting out Hawking's theories._

"Transdimensional travel. Parallel universes. It's all true. Wait till the execs see you. They'll be so surprised that the show, that everything…"

"Now, we're not gettin' tangled up in any of this," Rembrandt interrupted. "We're just gonna find a hotel and have a nice dinner."

"But you guys have to meet your doubles. Well, they're not really you, but they play you on the series."

"Listen! I've had enough of this!" Wade exclaimed. "As you probably know from the _show_, we're very tired from our last slide. So, just, leave us alone!"

This was too much for Wade. Quinn could tell that she had hoped that this was their world, too. As they strode away, he glanced back at the girl. She looked down, depressed, at her feet. Then, she suddenly looked up with a gleam in her eyes. _Uh-oh_.

"Hey! Sliders!" she yelled. They turned, annoyed, and glared at her. She smiled coyly at them. "I bet you'd like to know where the nearest hotel is."

"Thanks, but I think we can manage," replied Rembrandt, exhausted. They started to walk away again. 

"No! Wait! It will take you forever to find a room. It's the height of the tourist season. Why don't you come to the hotel my family is staying at. You can request a room and then rest in ours while you wait for an opening. The hotel's only a five minute walk from the park." Her pleading eyes moved from one Slider to another. Quinn sighed. He was a sucker for the puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh, all right," he mumbled, but he couldn't help smiling as her face lit up at the words. "We'll go with you. But if you start babbling again, we're gone."

"I promise! Oh, god, I am so rude. Hi, my name is Jen."

"Well, nice to meet you, Jen. I'd introduce ourselves, but you seem to know us already."

"It's great to meet you guys anyway. Come on. The hotel is this way." The Sliders followed Jen as she led the way out of the park and down the street to the hotel. At least we won't have to explain sliding to her, Quinn thought with a smirk.

So tell me what you think and the rest will be up as soon as I learn how to connect A and C to D and F.


	2. Ghosts in the TV

****

Part 2 This Slide of Reality

"You guys are going to _love_ this!" Jen exclaimed as she turned on the TV. "Sci-Fi has been showing _Sliders_' reruns all week. We're just lucky that the hotel has cable."

As the image on the television stabilized, Wade, Maggie, and Rembrandt sat with there mouths agape. There on the screen were perfect doubles of them. But they were not them. 

"Hey, has it started guys?" Quinn yelled from the bathroom.

"Yeah, Q-ball, and you ain't gonna believe it either," Rembrandt yelled to be heard over the running water.

"This is one of the best _Sliders'_ episodes. It's called 'The Guardian'. It is one of my all-time favorites. You see, it's the time that you guys slide into the pa…." Jen let her sentence fade out. This wasn't a good episode to watch at all. Sure, it was good, but it was that way because it was emotional. Quinn shouldn't watch it at all. It would only open old wounds. It probably wouldn't help that the Professor was in it either. Then, there was Quinn and Arturo's secret pact about his illness. 

"You know what, I think we should actually watch something else," Jen blurted out. "You guys have only just arrived here and want to sleep or rest or something like that. Watching your lives on TV probably isn't the best thing to do right now." 

She was too late though. On the screen, Arturo had already stumbled out of the hospital and TV Quinn approached him about the next slide. Quinn exited the bathroom at the precise moment to hear himself converse with his now dead mentor. His jaw and the towel wrapped around his waist nearly hit the ground in surprise. _This is not good_, Jen thought. Quinn slowly lowered himself onto the corner of the bed Jen was lying on as he watched his father's funeral for the third time. As the opening credits rolled, Jen wanted to comfort the shocked Quinn, but she couldn't get a word in.

"You never told us that the Professor was sick!" Wade wailed. Rembradt and she stared at Quinn in disbelief.

"We had a promise," Quinn mumbled.

"Q-ball, if we had known, we could've helped him," Rembradt interjected. "There must've been something that we could've done. How could you let something as important as this remain secret?" 

"He didn't want you to worry, Remy. He didn't want you to think he was weak."

"God, couldn't that pompous windbag ever get it through his think skull that we were in this together!" Wade exclaimed. Rembradt placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders as her eyes brimmed with tears. Watching the action, Maggie sat in a chair in the corner of the room. Jen had to break the tension.

"So, who wants some soda? There's a machine just down the hall and I have plenty of quarters, and I don't know about you, but I'm really thirs…" Everyone in the room was glaring at her_. Well, at least they're not angry with each other anymore_. 

To Jen's surprise, Maggie broke the silence. "Sure, I'll have a Coke. Quinn, do you want anything?"

Quinn let out a sigh of relief. "No thanks. I think I'll get something from the bar now." He got up to get dressed and leave, only to be shoved back onto the bed.

"Oh no! You aren't getting out that easily Quinn Mallory!" Wade glared down at him. Jen sighed. The silence and tension had returned and she had no clue what to do. She didn't dare try to draw attention to herself again. She liked being able to breathe and walk and use her arms. Maggie must have seen her discomfort and for once cared.

"Why don't you get use all some cokes and maybe a root beer or two?" Maggie suggested politely.

Relieved at the chance to get out of the brewing battle, Jen grabbed her belt bag and dashed out of the room.

"That was close," sighed Jen as she headed to the vending machines. She quietly thought of what she had just done and, then, hit her forehead several times with the heel of her hand. "Stupid! Stupid! STUPID! Hey, I have a great idea. Why don't I show you your lives that are televised on this world and enjoy myself as you relive the torment of your past? God, real smart, Jen!" She slammed her fist into the vending machine in rage.

"Oooooww!" She gingerly shook her hand. "Swift move." She dug some change out of her red belt bag and clinked the quarters into the soda machine. She pounded the button and fished the shaken coke out of the cubby. She had to make this whole experience up to them somehow. But what could she do? She looked around as she deposited more change into the machine. Her eyes caught sight of the telephone near the water fountains. _It would be so awesome if they got to meet their doubles on this world._ She missed the coin slot as the idea hit her. All she needed to do was call the studio. Find the executive's number and convince him that the show was real. Then, with the exec's help, she could bring the two worlds together. It would be perfect. She glanced down the hall both ways. No one was coming. She walked over to the phone and slid the quarter into the slot.


	3. A Day at the Office

****

As the phone rang, Aaron Tauverson, with videocassette in hand, strode into the waiting room of Mr. Giltomas' office. He had big news for his boss, but it could wait a while. Pondering what he would do with his guaranteed raise, Aaron perched himself on the edge of the secretary's desk and listened to the one-ended conversation.

"Mr. Giltomas' office. Yes, he is the head of production for Sliders. I'm sorry, but you cannot talk to him without an appointment. May I take a message?"

The secretary withdrew the pencil from behind her ear and scanned the desk for the memo pad. She glared at Aaron and slapped him on the back. As Aaron relinquished his perch, she grabbed the memo pad that he had been sitting on. Glancing at the secretary's notes, he circled around the desk and rested his chin on her shoulder. _Hmm, Jen O'Maley. I don't recognize the name. Maybe a new up and coming actress._ He leaned his head against the secretary's curly blond hair. He sighed as she gently shrugged him off. He returned to the opposite side of the desk. He leaned his elbows against the oaken table. The secretary rolled her eyes, but he could not tell if it was directed at him or the speaker on the phone. She jotted down something else. An address. His curiosity ran rampant. _An actress in a hotel? Or is the big cheese not telling us something about his extracurricular activities?_ Aaron smirked as the secretary hung up the phone. _There's nothing like a good blackmail story to help you climb up the ladder._

"And who was that on the phone, my sweet Miss Claire?" Aaron asked innocently.

"That is none of your business, Mr. Tauverson. Now, do you have an appointment with Mr. Giltomas, or have you been promoted to my tormentor?"

"Yes to both accounts," he chimed while shaking the videotape in his hand. "And please, do call me Aaron. We'll definitely be seeing more of each other once I get a raise for the image on this tape. But first, who was that calling?"

"If you must now, it was some loony-bin escapee. She actually wanted me to tell Mr. Giltomas that the Sliders are on this world, right now, and that it would be wonderful if they could meet their acting doubles. A little obsessed isn't she! I mean, how delusional can you get?"

"But, then, why did you write down her name and address?"

"God! This girl needs help. I figured that I would talk to her parents about seeing a psychologist."

"Here, I'll take care of the girl." He snatched the paper from her desk and started towards Giltomas' office. "You just sit back and relax. Just think of all the wonderful time we'll be spending together."

"You know, Aaron. You have such a wonderful voice. I think you would make a wonderful castrati. A guy singing all those high notes just sends tingles down my spine." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a big pair of scissors. "And to think, with a simple snip snip, you could be in charge of your own harem of concubines." Her honey shaded eyes flashed as she opened and closed the scissors quickly.

Aaron just smirked as he entered the boss's office.

"All in good time, dear Claire. You'll see the err of your ways."

"I hope that you've come here for something more than an excuse to harass my secretary," Giltomas stated as the door closed.

"I have something very interesting." He inserted the tape into VCR and pushed play. The image of four people materializing from a portal filled the screen. "Like he said, they've returned." A wide grin on his tan face, Aaron held up the memo sheet. "And I know where to find them."


	4. 

Woohoo, another part ****

Woohoo, another part! I've been in a writing mood and pried myself away from my other story, which has been consuming my mind to write another connecting chapter here. Yeah! Well, more action will occur later, including the two worlds finally meeting. Will Maggie kill Kari? Will Rembrandt and Cleavant get in a singing contest? Will Jen faint from the sight of both Jerry and Quinn? drools Oh baby! Oh baby! Wait a minute, why am I even saying this stuff? That means I'll have to write the next chapter sooner. Oh well, exams don't matter much. sings to chorus of Battle Hymn of the Republic "Failure, Failure, Degradation! Failure and Humiliation! Failure, Failure, Academia! The truth will soon be known!" Well, Sliders isn't mind. If it was, I would still be filming episodes in my basement. :-D Well on with the story! Tata!

"What are you doing?" Maggie inquired as she approached the soda machines. She needed to get away from the vicious argument. She had not known the professor well and even though she had heard most of the incidents they commented about, she felt out of place. And then there was the fact that the girl was taking an awfully long time to get the cokes and out of habit, Maggie's paranoia was setting in. And it looked like Maggie had cause this time. Jen jumped and spun away from the telephone at the sound of Maggie's voice.

"Nothing," Jen squeaked. She seemed to realize how suspicious that sounded. "I was just calling the front desk to see if my parents had called and to leave a message in case they do call later." She smiled weakly. Maggie narrowed her eyes. The girl was hiding something, but what? She shook her head and picked up the dispensed sodas. The girl was only eighteen at most and loved them with all her heart. Maggie had seen the awe in her eyes before. Jen saw them as heroes. It was faltering, but also a little alarming. She shook her head again and glanced down the hall. Yells could now be heard emanating from their room.

"You don't happen to have a peace pipe with you by any chance? I left mine on the last world."

"Look, I'm really sorry about that. I should have known better, but I was so caught up in the moment and actually meeting you guys." She sighed. "I just wanted to show you how popular on this world. To show that there are people who care. That you guys aren't alone."

"Listen, you did you're best to make us at home. And you did realize your mistake, even if it was a little too late. Now let's get these refreshments back to the battle before I start sounding more like an afternoon special."

The two walked back to the room, to only meet a furious Quinn storming out the door.

"Quinn? Where are you going?"

"I really need a drink, ok! I can't handle them anymore. I'll see you in a few."

Jen trailed after him.

"Quinn, I'm sorry! I didn't know. Look, just come back in the room and we'll ta…"

"I just need some time to myself. I'll be back in a while."

Defeated, Jen turned back to Maggie as Quinn stalked down the hall to the elevator. Jen's feelings flitted across her face as they entered the room. Maggie watched her with concern. The kid really adored Quinn, which probably made the situation even harder for Jen. Her favorite episode of her favorite show hurt her idol who she finally got to meet. Maggie wouldn't be surprised if she even had a shrine to Quinn that she worshipped at three AM. 

"Hey, I have a word or two to say to you!" Wade exclaimed as they entered the room.

"Do you want your root beer?" Jen offered softly.

"Wade, it's not her fault," Maggie spoke, to her surprise, before Wade could begin her rant. Wade huffed up as if to counter, let her breath out in a big sigh, and collapsed back into her armchair.

"I know, but I really need someone to yell at right now. And since Quinn felt it was his duty to check out the bar, I'm out of logical options."

Just as they began to relax a bit and enjoy their sodas, the door slammed open and Quinn stumbled in with an annoyed look on his face.

"Well, that was a quick drink," Wade snapped.

Quinn glared at her and then turned to the door where two men in suits were standing.

"I never got the chance to reach the bar. The interdimensional police decided we needed a chat." Quinn jerked his thumb towards the entering suits. The first man stood a little shorter than Quinn with black spiked hair, a deep tan, and insane hazel eyes. The second was as tall as Quinn and looked like a football coach with his close-cropped graying hair and wide shoulders. Maggie glared at men.

"My apologies for the rude entrance," the second man boomed, "but our dear Quinn was being a little reluctant about a meeting when we encountered him. I am Mr. Jack Giltomas and this is my assistant, Mr. Aaron Cotis. I am the head of production for _Sliders_ and I would be honored if you joined me and the cast for dinner."

"And what if we refuse?" Rembrandt asked defiantly. 

"Oh, I insist. And I can be really persuasive when I put my mind to it."

Maggie didn't like this. She glanced at Jen. The girl had an odd look on her face. What was it? It looked like a mix between disbelieve and utter joy.

"You called them, didn't you?" Maggie accused. Nothing her ass.

"I called them, but the secretary didn't believe me. But this is great! You guys can meet your doubles!"

Jen's grin spread right across her face. Maggie sighed. It couldn't hurt to just go to dinner with some doubles. It would be a free meal. Despite her better judgement, Maggie took Jen's side.

"Come on guys. It can't be that bad and it's better than sitting in this hotel all night."

Rembrandt, Wade, and Quinn glanced and glared between each other and then collectively sighed. 

"You got a point. And it would be free," Rembrandt voiced.

"I guess I'm in too. It would be nice to meet our doubles," Wade mumbled.

"So, let's go for it," Quinn interjected. Maggie smiled at the thought of his unspoken reason, which was probably along the lines of "And I won't have to spend the night fearing for my life." 

"Alright!" exclaimed Jen.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation. Follow me to the limo."

The Sliders and Jen rose from their seats and exited the room to meet the limousine below.


	5. When Worlds Collide

Disclaimer: I do not know if the actors in my story are in character or not ****

Disclaimer: I do not know if the actors in my story are in character or not. I have not seen very many interviews or real life footage of all the actors to know how they would act in certain situations. This is just my educated guess. If you don't like how an actor is characterized, please leave a review and I'll consider your information. Thank you and enjoy.

__

There better be a damn good reason that I'm in the studio on a Saturday night, Jerry thought as he entered the sound stage. Giltomas had called about an hour ago and informed him of an important meeting that night. He would have blown it off, if Giltomas hadn't mentioned something about docked pay and less producing jobs should he not appear. He glanced around the stage. The others were already there, but Giltomas was nowhere in sight. Cleavant Derricks paced around the four chairs lined up in the middle of the studio. A very pissed off Sabrina Lloyd and spaced out Kari Wuhrer sat in the folding chairs. 

"So, anyone know why this little pow-wow was set up tonight?" Jerry asked as he took his seat.

"Damned if I know, but it better be a damn good reason or we'll be celebrating someone's untimely death," muttered Sabrina.

Jerry grimaced and decided that at this moment silence would be golden. Sabrina was obviously in no mood for friendly small talk. Kari wasn't much of an intellectual conversationalist and he really did not want to know why she thought they were there. And then there was Cleavant, who seemed like he had to make a decision that involved the fate of the world. Why wasn't he getting dizzy or tired from all that pacing? Jerry sighed and sulked farther into his chair. He missed a date with Sarah Michelle Gellar for this! Just as Jerry convinced himself to screw this meeting and go get Sarah, Giltomas entered the studio from one of the observation booths with a teenage girl. Great! He missed a date with Buffy for a PR gig. 

"It's about time you got here," Sabrina blurted. "Why the hell did you call us here on a Saturday night? Do you think we don't have better things to do?"

"You'll get the answers soon. First, I'd like to introduce you to Jen O'Maley. She brought our special guests for this evening."

The teenager froze in her tracks and just stared at the four of them. _Aw, how cute_, Jerry thought, _a deer caught in the headlights. At least she knows who we are._

"Is there any other reason besides a terrified fan that we are here?" Sabrina inquired again.

"Yes, there is. Bring 'em in Tauverson."

Giltomas' pretty boy assistant entered the studio followed by four other people. As they entered the light, Jerry's jaw almost hit the ground. 

"Sliders, I would like you to meet the Sliders," Giltomas stated with a grandeur gesture.

Jerry, Sabrina, and Kari rose from their seats and meet the Sliders half way. Lined up across their doubles, the actors and Sliders stared at each other in disbelief. Now, this was different. Jerry just looked over this supposed double. There had to be a zipper somewhere or at least make-up. Jerry glanced down the line to see how the others where doing. Sabrina looked confused and furious. Kari was, well, she looked as vacant as ever, but at least she seemed happy. He couldn't really tell how Cleavant felt though. He didn't look surprised or confused, but sick. Something didn't seem right.

"This definitely ranks high on the weird-meter, hey Q-ball," Rembrandt commented, finally breaking the silence.

"I think I need to sit down," Cleavant mumbled and went back to the line of chairs.

The silence settled in again, only to be broken by Kari.

"So, the thingie about everyone having a twin is true. And I thought they were just pulling my leg," she chirped in cheerfully.

Jerry and Quinn chuckled as Maggie nearly fell over backwards.

"Um, not really. I'm your double from a parallel universe. Like in the show."

"Get out of here! No one told me this was factual! And I thought they were so smart for making this stuff up. This is so cool. Maybe we can go shopping later."

Quinn leaned in close to Jerry and whispered, "You are kidding about her playing Maggie, aren't you? She's a complete ditz."

"This was the first role she wasn't typecast for," Jerry snickered back. "At least you don't have to work with her."

"Shouldn't someone restrain Maggie before she throttles that girl?"

Jerry shrugged as he circled around Quinn. _It's nice having a look-a-like. Who knows? Maybe in a year or so, there will be one on every street corner, like the Elvises in Las Vegas,_ Jerry mused to himself. This creature in front of him was truly remarkable. It looked and sounded exactly like him, although his hair was slightly longer. But there must be some trick to it. Maybe April Fools' Day had been moved without him knowing. However, as he circled, a gesture, movement, or turn of the head caught his eye and "It's like looking into a living mirror" rang in his mind. He stared at this identical person. It WAS like looking into a living mirror and it scared the shit out of him. He wasn't going to let anyone know this though. If this was a joke, he'd have fun with it. Jerry stood directly in front of "Quinn" and gave him a once over again. 

"Excellent job with the clone, my job will be so much easier now that there are two of me." Jerry reached out, pressed his finger against "Quinn's" nose, and then withdrew it. "Quinn" just stared quizzically at the actor. 

"Uh-oh. I'm sorry, but this clone is broken. That is so unacceptable!"

"Huh?" "Quinn" muttered, even more perplexed. Jerry smirked at "Quinn"'s confusion, as well as his audience's. _But who is that giggling?_ Jerry glanced around and saw the girl, what was her name, covering her mouth in an attempt to suppress full-out laughter.

"So, do YOU know what's wrong with him?" The girl nodded. Jen, that was her name. "Well, would you care to explain the problem?" She nodded again, a wicked grin on her face. She walked over to Jerry, reached up, and beeped his nose. As soon as her fingers pushed down on his skin, he let out a loud "Meep!" Jen jumped back in surprise at the volume, but continued to laugh. 

"See?" Jerry inquired Quinn. Understanding quickly dawned on the Slider's face, followed by a comical smirk. Jerry's light mood dissipated. The familiarity of the smile freaked him out. This stranger's face mimicked the expressions of his own face. _This isn't real. They don't exist. It's just some big joke. But if it isn't, why are we so alike? I'm not him, am I?_ Trying to regain his jovial mood, he brushed the disturbing thoughts to the back of his mind.

"So, Quinn. What actually happened on that world where no one had clothes?" Jerry finally asked slyly.

Quinn blushed, but smiled wickedly. "You're the actor, don't you know what happened? Or didn't you read the script?"

__

That little smart-ass. "We never were allowed to film that ep. Something about being on primetime and not having enough energy or patience to do the strategically placed objects ploy." _But man it would have been so much fun_! "So, what happened? Inquiring minds want to know."

"I'm not one to kiss and tell, and anyway, the show will probably get back around to it. It's such a popular world."

Jerry tried to prepare a retort, but his attention was focused on Sabrina. She stormed away from Wade with an agitated, "That's it!" and was now heading for the studio door. Giltomas stopped her and Jerry could just overhear the mumbled conversation.

"Where are you going, Miss Lloyd?"

"I don't have to take any of this. You know that you guys are really sick. My mind is made up and I'm not going to let any dressed up, over paid stunt double change it. I'm through with this sci-fi crap and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Sabrina shoved Giltomas out of the way and stormed out the door.

"What was that about?" Quinn inquired.

Jerry brushed the panic off his face as he turned to face his double. 

"Um, you know, salary disagreements and all. Hey, it's showbiz," Jerry lied. If this really _was_ Quinn, he wouldn't appreciate the idea that Sabrina and therefore Wade were leaving the show.

"Yeah, I see." Quinn glanced around the stage and then continued in a tentative voice. "So, where is the actor who plays the Professor?"

At a loss for words, Jerry's breath caught in his throat.

"Um, well, you see," Jerry mumbled. "John, well, he, it's hard to explain. During the third season, he just…" 

"I'm sorry for asking the question. Just forget it. If you're not comfortable with talking about it, then just leave it be," Quinn blurted quietly while shuffling his foot around.

"It's not like that, it's just…" Jerry sighed and sadly continued. "John had creative disagreements with the writing staff. He didn't think the show was living up to its potential and that it was going down the hole. He tried to spruce up the scripts, but he still wasn't pleased. So, he quit the show and wrote his own death scene."

"So, the actor's still…"

"He's living in England now."

"Oh, I see."

Quinn just looked down at his feet. _Shit, I shouldn't have told him_, Jerry scolded.

"Listen, I'm sorry man. I shouldn't have…"

"No, it's fine. It's just showbiz," Quinn muttered. "I think I need to sit for awhile."

Quinn brushed past Jerry to join Cleavant and the now-seated Wade and Jen at the line of folding chairs. Jerry raked his hand through his hair and sighed. _Damn, I didn't mean to hurt him like that_, he thought as he headed for the windowed office near the sound stages. He really needed a quiet place to digest all this info.


	6. aftermath

Jen sat silently, staring at the concrete floor of the sound stage ****

Jen sat silently, staring at the concrete floor of the sound stage. This wasn't going as wonderfully as she had planned. Maggie was hiding in the bathroom from Kari, who was now talking to Rembrandt about her "singing" career and a possible duet. Cleavant just sat in his chair and scowled at anyone who entered his range of vision. After trying to engage Cleavant in some form of conversation, Wade had decided to take a quick nap in the seat to Jen's right. Well, at least Quinn and Jerry seemed to be getting along together. Just then she felt someone sit down in the seat to her left and heave a heavy sigh. Jen looked up to see Quinn seated next to her, rubbing his hands over his face. She caught sight of a depressed Jerry sulking across the stage to some windowed offices. Scratch the last pair of doubles. Utterly dismayed, Jen returned her stare back to the floor and played with her necklace.

"What's that?" Quinn asked after a few minutes, causing Jen to jump a bit.

"What's what?"

"Your necklace. What's it of?"

Jen looked down at the pendant on the dog-tag chain that encircled her neck. She rolled the glass marble around in the flat silver lattice gate enclosing it.

"This?" She held up the pendant for him to inspect. "It's nothing really. Just a cheap piece of jewelry that I bought at the Natural History Museum in New York."

"For a piece of junk jewelry it's beautiful," Quinn commented as he twirled the multicolored marble between his fingers. "Why did you buy it?"

Jen blushed at the question and took the pendant from his hand.

"It reminded me of the vortex. The marble reflects all different shades of purple and blue and sometimes, it's just clear. Then the outside silver looks like a moon gate." She could feel her eyes glaze over as she stared at the sparkling orb.

"You really like the show, don't you?"

Jolted out of her spacing, she smirked at him.

"It took you that long to figure it out?"

Quinn chuckled.

"I'm not that dense. It's just that I've seen die-hard fans of shows. I have been to some sci-fi conventions, but not for long. You stick out like a sore thumb if you don't have a costume. But when you were just talking, you just left. You were a million universes away. You're really into all this."

"Sometimes it's just easier to believe in this."

"Why? What I'd give for a normal life right now."

"You'd get too bored. But your world. All the possibilities. The fantasies and dreams."

"The dangers and nightmares. It's not all good, Jen. It's not dull, but it's never restful. You're always on the go. Always adapting. Never knowing the future."

Jen stared blankly down at the floor again. She knew the dangers; she saw them every Friday on TV. But…

"I would just like to see one world. Just one. To see what it's like. How it would feel. All those worlds. I could see so many things for real. Meet Alec Ramsay and the Black. See a superhero in action. I've just seen it so many times on TV…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rant, but I just get so tired." Quinn slumped down in the chair and cradled his head in his hands. "I'm just so very tired."

"I'll go find Mr. Giltomas. He might have some beds set up or at least some coffee."

Jen rose out of the folding chair and left the dosing Wade and stressed-out Quinn. This wasn't going as she planned at all.


End file.
